Alphabet Gift Basket

In our family, birthdays have always been a special occasion for my mother. She enjoys giving presents, but she loves opening them even more, especially presents that are thoughtful and unique.

This year we wanted to do something different to make her birthday memorable. The whole family chipped in to prove that the alphabet could be just as much fun, even for someone who long ago left school and has long mastered the art of reading. Using the alphabet as our guide, we made up a gift basket of 25 small and one big present – all in all, one present for each letter of the alphabet.

We added to the cheer by making her "work" for each present. She had to solve a riddle for each letter of the alphabet. An example of one of the riddles is the one we used for the jelly: "Add boiling water and cold temperature to turn this powder into a sweet temptation."

Below is the list of gifts we packed into the alphabet basket…
A: Aromatherapy oil.
B: Bath salts.
C: A fragrant candle.
D: A recipe for a date pudding.
E: Easter egg, as her birthday was close to the Easter weekend.
F: Fizz balls for a nice and relaxing bath.
G: A small gift voucher for her favorite store.
H: A tube of hand cream.
I: An invitation to a coffee date.
J: A packet of jelly.
K: A loving kiss from my father.
L: A raspberry flavored lollipop.
M: Milk chocolates, one of her strong favorites.
N: A floral nightie for the cold winter.
O: An orange.
P: A packet of popcorn.
Q: A quiz cut from an old magazine.
R: One red rose.
S: Scented body spray.
T: Travelling rug to keep her warm while watching television.
U: Unlimited hugs.
V: A vitamin enriched drink.
W: The big one, which was a watch.
X: An old Xmas card from one of her sisters.
Y: A South African magazine called "Your Family."
Z: A plastic zebra toy.

This was the best present ever! My mother, who also happens to be a sentimental person, cherished the notes with the riddles on for many days. She will always remember her alphabet gift basket.

I am sure that, upon receiving such a special gift, your mother (or grandmother) will feel just as loved.